He said: “It’s not just money, it’s very smart money. We have a lot of synergy with SBI. Bitcoin will be regulated in Japan from April, so cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin will become a legitimate payment system in Japan. A lot of big players, including investment banks and Japanese megabanks, are moving into this space, and SBI is one of them.”

Wirex will use the money raised to fund the development of new features — including contactless bitcoin payments and multiple-currency cards — as well as investing in security, regulation, and marketing. It expects to launch a contactless bitcoin payment system by September this year.

Matveev said the firm is targeting two million customers and one million cards worldwide by the end of this year — not all users have cards, as some only use Wirex as a digital wallet.

Currently, the firm serves over 500,000 customers in more than 130 countries and is focusing on growth in Europe and Asia-Pacific. Wirex has offices in London, Tokyo, and Kiev.